Selecting device for controlling machine or apparatus members



w. BERTHIEZ 4 Feb. 16, 1954 c.

SELECTING DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING MACHINE 0R APPARATUS MEMBERS l0 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 5, 1951 INVENTOR Charles William Ber'H- :e z

BYM

' ATTORNEY 2,669,214 c. w. BERTHIEZ SELECTING DEVICE ,.-FOR \CONTROLLING MACHINE OR APPARATUS\MEMBERS M 1 w s m MW 1 D d .w W F F lQSheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR Charles William Ber-flnez lrllwmlllu 33 A33 M Rial.

m5 llll mm- .m 3a a 3 5 ATTORNEY SELECTING DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING MACHINE OR APPARATUS MEMBERS Filed Dec. 5, 1951 l0 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 16, 1954 c w. BERTHIEZ 2,669,214

VE-N'FOR C h Err-I95 William Ber-Nu e-z.

E MW

ATTORNEY Feb. 16, 1954 v c. w. BERTHIEZ 2,669,214 SELECTING DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING MACHINE OR APPARATUS MEMBERS Flled Dec. 5, 1951 l0 Sheets-Sheet 4 N "a -l \l INVENTOF? Q Charl s William Berf'luez (\1 8 ATTOKNEY l sELECTIN D g I E fi g l'lioLLIN 1 4 MAQHINE OR APPARATUS MEMBERS Filed Dec. 5, 1951 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 "Hill wvsu' R Charles lllam Ber-Hue Feb. 16, 1954 BERTHIEZ 2,669,214

'6. W. TSELECTING DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING .MACHINE OR APPARATUS MEMBERS 1 Filed Dec. 5, 1951 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 |NVNTOR Charles Willi m ff/162 ATTOITNGY,

Feb. 16, 1954 c, w, 'nz 2,669,214

SELECTING DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING MACHINE OR APPARATUS MEMBERS Filed Dec. 5, 1951 10 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTOR Charles W1 I/l'im Ber-M161 ATTORNEYY c. w. BERTHIEZ Feb. 16, 1954 SELECTING DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING MACHINE OR APPARATUS MEMBERS 2,669,214

Filed 1951 1o Sheets-Sheet s n \i v: v.

' INVENTOR If Charles William Ber'l'hll'l.

ATTOR/VE Y Feb. 16, 1954 Filed Dec. 5, 1951 C. W. BERTHIEZ SELECTING DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING MACHINE OR APPARATUS MEMBERS Sheets-Sheet 9 luvs/V701? Charles William Berfluez WWW- ATTORNEY Feb. 16, 1954 C BERTHIEZ 2,669,214

SELECTING DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING MACHINE OR APPARATUS MEMBERS Filed Dec. 5, 1951 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 Fig- 0 INVENTOR Charles William Ber-Hut. 2

RNEY sa d direction selectin m nsx or indica.

Patented Feb. 16, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE SELECTING DEVICE FOR CONTRQLLING' MACHINE OR APPARATUS MEMBERS 'Glaims' priority, application France "December 16, 1950 15 clai (01. new-115.5)

In my copending application SerialNc. 1.9;.454, filed on April '7, 19.48 (designated. hereinafter by main paten a description. has been made of a device for selectively controlling a. plurality of movable machine or apparatus members and which comprises atv least. one selecting means for selecting the. movablev member to be controlled and a direction-selecting. means for each movable member, it being. possible to effect the setting of. each direction-selectingmeans independently of the setting of all. the other directionselecting means and also independently of the positionv of the. member selecting means.

According to the presentzinventio-n. a control box as provided which: may be connected to machine. tool or the. like forrcontrolling the movement of the movable: members of the machinetoor or the like which comprises a panel carried 'exteriorly upon the box, two member-selecting elements. supported adjacent the exterior face of said panel in. locations which are; disposed at either side; of and: symmetrical with respect to a. substantially straight line: on. said panel'- for movement of. said elements over said face to di-iferent. selecting positions thereon corresponding respectively to said movable: members of said machine, the number of said diiierent. selecting positions. being at most equal. to the number .of said movable members, direction selecting means'earried by said paneldisposed in locations respectively identified with the several movable m mbers of the machinev and in spacedrelation. to each other on; said {straight line, said locations of: said: direction selecting. means. corr spondin also to said different positions .on said: panehtowhich said member-selecting elements are respectively: movable; said direction selecting means bein operable forselcctively controllin the direction of movement of the respective movable members selected bymovement of. s a i d memberselectine elements, all said members le tins'el ments andsaidd-irection sele ti a s be n inde nd n ype abl one w t r spect to th oth rs. n d r tion indi at rs assoc-1a d wit dire tn of movement of the r p ctiv movabl members.

The. appende drawme is a d ee amm ica representation, ven by wayi-exampl on. o

a first embodiment of the selectin are twice .-in eetica appl ed s .c ctr-hot 1.8 the- 2 llin and o in m hin and d s more particularly to control the simultaneous operaion of w machine member s 2. 2c a d 212. w ch are assumed t be plac e nde the o he ac ord n to the i ns in r p es ted shew tram l of a plified electrical wiring diagram tor the said settin de ic Fig. 3 is, a front View of the rnain portion of a odi i i n of e embodiment l in 1 as app-lied. to the control of milling and b rin machine and more spec mtended to control the motion of asingle machinemember' at a time, i h a at ca o man a l Fig. l is a corresponding side view; and

Figs. 5, 5a, 5b and 50 which are assumed to be arranged one under the other according to the joining lines, show an example of a simplified electric wiring diagram for the embodiment modification.

Fig. 1 is a representation of the main part of a device to select the various movable members of a milling and boringrnachine, this representation being inthe form .of a simplified pictorial representation drawn on the same lines as that shown in the main patent.

In the following, statement, when speaking of machine members, the same reference numbers will be applied to them, as in the above mentioned pictorial representation. Besides, the same reference numbers as in the main patent will be hereto designate similar members: the bed I onwhich the tableZ can slide in two directions corresponding to the arrows f! and f2; the col- .umn 4 which can be moved in the direction of the arrows f3 and It on a bed. (not visible on the drawing); the slide 5 which moves up and down the column 4 (arrows f5 and f6) the headstock 6 which moves horizontally on its carriage 5 in. the direction of the arrows f1 and 1'18, and, lastly, the. tool carrying spindle I mounted in the headstock 6,. the workpiece to be machined being clampedion the table 2. On the part of the pictorial. representation corresponding to the table will be iounda switch 8' (of the tumbler type in the example represented) the handle of which can be set to two different positions, viz. the position shownin the drawing, for which it is inclined in. the direction. of the arrow f2, and the opposite directionior which it would beinclined, in the direction of thear-row gfl. These arrows fl and I; show thetwowopposite directions in ieh ih able ca Pems along the bed l u similar m 1% 2 ct al p s ntation-o the headstock 6; anoth r W- Wh- W i chine members just referred to.

3 provided, similar to switch 8, and the handle of which can also be set in two different positions: viz: the position shown on the drawing, in the direction of the arrow f8, and the opposite position in the direction of the arrow jI.

Two further switches I and I6 respectively correspond to the possible movements of the carriage 5 vertically on the column and of the column 4 longitudinally on the bed referred to above, in accordance with the direction of the respective adjacent arrows.

The four switches 8', I4, I5 and I6 allow selecting the horizontal direction of movement of the table 2 on the bed I, the horizontal movement or" the headstock 6 on its supporting carriage 5, the vertical movement of the carriage 5 along the column 4 and that the horizontal movement of the column 4 along the bed which carries it, all these members and their respective directions of movement being depicted on the panel.

On the left hand side of the pictorial representation of the machine, a member selecting element IT has been provided, the handle of which is arrow-shaped. This element which may control a multipoint switch connected to the control system allows selecting one of the four ma- To select one of such members, it is sufficient to turn the handle of the element I'I so that it points towards the direction selecting switch placed on the pic .torial representation of the member to be moved:

table, column, headstock, etc. Converging dotted lines I8 have been provided in the pictorial representation of the machine in order tobetter illustrate the selecting positions in which the handle II can be set. The number 39 is the reference number of a neutral position of element II which we shall also refer to hereinafter.

On the right hand side of the pictorial representation of the machine is arranged another member selecting element I9. similar to element I I, and which, by means of a proper orientation of its handle, also allows selecting the machine member which is to be moved. Its function and its design are similar to those of switch operating element II and converging lines 29 play with respect to element I9 the same part as that played by lines It with respect to element I1. A reference mark 36 for the neutral position is provided.

As is the case in the main patent application, the position of any one of the four direction selecting switches 8, I4, I5 and I6 is completely independent of the position of the other three switches and completely independent also of the two member sel cting elements I? and I9, the latter, in their turn, being entirely independent of one another.

It will be seen that the four switches 8, I4, I5 and I6 are arranged on a vertical line located substantially on the middle line of the figure. This arrangement clearly shows that these direction-selecting switches are used to control the direction of the movements selected by means of the two selector elements I1 and I9.

The selecting device which has just been described may be connected with control means and a system to start and stop the selected movable member. As already stated in the main patent application, such control means may be of any type properly connected in the system.

It is possible to select a movable machine member by means of switch operating element II and to select another member by means of switch operating element I9, both members being operable simultaneously. Two pilot-lamps 3'! and 38, placed above the switches I'i and i9 respectively, indicate, for example when they are switched on, that the corresponding machine member is in motion.

On the right hand side of the pictorial representation of the machine, Fig. 1 auxiliary pictures 4| and 42 will be found which represent a rotary surfacing plate carried by the machine headstock 9. This surfacing plate is provided with two radial symmetrical carriages 39 and 40, which can be fed away from the spindle axis (this movement is illustrated by picture 4 I) or towards the spindle axis (picture 42). The selection of the direction of such a movement can also be achieved by means of the same switch I4 used also to select the direction of the headstock movement, said switch I4 being, for this purpose, also placed beside the representation 43 of the surfacing plate. When the handle of said switch is set to the left, which position is indicated by the reference member 44 on the pictorial representation beneath picture M, the two carriages move in the direction shown on picture 4| and when the handle I4 is turned to the right, which position is indicated by the reference number 45 on the pictorial representation, beneath picture 42, the two carriages move in the direction shown on picture 42, that is to say in the opposite direction. Another selector which is placed on the machine itself (and therefore not represented in the pictorial representation) allows in the usual way to move either the headstock 9 on its supporting carriage 5, or the carriages 39 and 40 on the surfacing plate 43. If it is directed to move these carriages, the selecting switch I9 (or II) will be turned towards switch I4 which controls the direction of movement of said carriages.

Lastly, four switches 46, 41, 48 and 49, also of the tumbler type, have been accessorily and by way of example, placed on the left hand side of the pictorial representation, on the same level as switches I5, I4, I6, 8 respectively, for the purpose of controlling the clamping of the corresponding machine members. Any one of said switches, when in the position indicated by the reference number 5I in the pictorial representation, causes the corresponding machine member to be clamped. A large red spot (52) has been painted above the handle depicted on the pictorial representation (located at to remind that when the handle of switches 46, 47, 49 or 49 is turned upwards, this corresponds to the clamping position. When the handle is turned downwards, the corresponding member is unclamped.

The neutral spots of the member selecting switches I1 and I9 have been designed merely for the sake of safety. For some machining op- ;erations, it may be indispensable to actuate only one machine member at a time. In such a case, switch II, for example, is brought into its neutral position 35, then the member to be moved is selected by means of switch I9. In this way, even if the operator did actuate by mistake the starting button corresponding to switch II', there would be no accident because switch I? being in its neutral position, no machine member would be set in motion through it.

In Figures 2, 2a, 2b taken together, an example has been represented of a simplified wiring diagram showing the electrical connections of-a selecting device embodying the general features de scribed above.

In said example, it was assumed that the variacaacm bus machine members were to be driven by means of individual D. C. electric motors selectively fed from two separate Leonard groups. On the diagram, only the generators GI and G2 of the tWoLeonard groups are represented; the excitation currents in the field windings el and 62 are adjusted by two rheostats rt and r2, thecurrent being su plied from: a D. c. network connected to terminals Li-L2 of the-device by means of reversing contacts 56a-5tb and 51c-51b of contactors 5t and 51 for generator GI, and through reversing contacts 5801-5821 and 59a-59b of contactors 58 and 59 for the generator G2. These *contactors are also provided with holding contacts 56c, 51c, 580 or 590' and with interlocking contacts 56d, EM, 5801 or 55d, which we shall rcier to hereunder. The supply to the coils of these contactors is ensured from a network connected to terminals L3--Lt of the device, through-selecting switches, as will be seen further on.

' The four motors MI, M2, M3,. Mcare designed to control the movements of the table 2, the headstock 5, the carriage 5 and 01 the column 4 respectively. All four motors are fed in the same manner; therefore, it will be sufilcient to describe the feeding circuit of one of them, motor Mi, for example. The field windings ii are energized from the D. Ci network LI-L4. The armature ml is energized either from lines 64-65 of gen erator GI through the contacts 63c and 63b of a contactor 63, or from the load terminalstt-tt of generator G2 through the contacts 61a, 6'lb,of a contactor Bl. Contactor 63 is provided with an interlocking contact 630' placed in the coil circuit of contactor cl so as to prevent motor Ml from being connected simultaneously to both generators G3 and G2.- Sim-ilarly, contactor 5'! is provided with an interlocking contact 610 placed in the coil circuit of contactor 61.

The other motors M2, M3 and M i'are' connected in an identicalmanner, by means of contactors Mi ts, 'ii)-H, 12-13 respectively. The supply to the coil of said contactors is ensured from network L3-L l through the medium of the member selecting switches l 1--l9-' which will now be described in detail, by referring moi-sparticularlyto Fig. 2, on which the memberselectin'g switches occupy the same position as on Fig. 1. Switch ii is a two-pole switch and is provided with two arms [Va and I'I"b= capable of cooperating with two series of contact studs l'l'ccll,

l'i'cz, il'cc, il'cl and il'bfl, l-l'b3', il'b2, i'i'b l, I Vol respectively-,the first stud of each series being a dead stud, whereas the others are connected to the arms i5a, Ma, lti'a and 8'0. respectively of corresponding two-pole direction selecting switches l5, I4, [6, 8' for the studs of the first series, and to contactors 10, 68,12, 63 which control the supply to motors M3, M2, M4, Mi to drive corresponding machine members for thestuds of the other series; The member selecting switch is" is designed in a like manner and its two arms We and lil'b can be connected tothe other arms l5"'b; '17, W2), 8'!) of the direction selectors, and to the other motor-controliin contactors Ii, 59', l3, 51 respectively. p

The holding contacts 560 and 510 of the contactors 5c and ST of generator GI are fed through a stop contact al from terminal L4, and the holding contacts 580 and 5800f contactor 5'8 and iii) of generator G2 are fed in a like manner through a .stop contact a2 also from terminal L4. Finally a startpush.-button makes it possible' to energize contactors-iifi and- 51- of generatorfii, by .connectingltheir respectiveycoilsto tenminal LI through the medium. of the stop" contact at and or the member and direction selectors, this in a manner which will be described in detail furtheron. A similar push-button allows, similarly to energize the contactors 58 and 59 of generator G2.

One of the coil terminals of all the contactors which serve to set'the motors running, i. e. contactors 63, 61, 68, 69, 10, ll, 12 and 13, as well as one of the coil terminals of the four excitation contactors 56, 51, 58, 59of generators Gt and G2 is connected to the common terminal L3. again motor Mt as an example, the other coil terminal oi contactor 63 is connected, through an interlocking. contact 61c of contactor 5'! to stud il'bi of the member selector H, that is to say to the stud. which corresponds to the position of the switch when its handle is directedtowards switch .8 corresponding to" the machine table driven by motor Mi. The other contactor 61 of motor Mi has its coil connected, through interlocking contact 630 of contactor 63, to stud |B"b-| of the member selector [5, that is to say to the stud corresponding to the position of switch l3 when its handle is also directed towards switch 8 located in the pictorial representation of the machine table. Thus, it can be seen that switch it controls the connection of the motors to line G i- E52 issuing fromgenerator GI, whereas switch it controls their connection to the load terminals of generator G2.

The contactors which control. the other motors M2, M3,. M l are connected in a like manner to corresponding stud-s of the two selecting switches ii and i9.

It has been seen how the motors are selectedv and how they are fed either from one generator or from the other. Now, there: remains to be seen how their rotational direction can be determined by the direction selectors 8-, l4, l5, it. These selectors are also two-pole switches anclidentical with one another, switch [5", for example, includes a first arm I 5'42, which is capable of cooperating with onev or the other of the two studs l5'ad or lii'ag, as well as a second arm l5b, which may cooperate with stud I'E'bd or stud lii'bg. The rotational direction of the motors is determined by the polarity of the power supply to which they are connected and this polarity can be reversed at will by reversing the current in the generator field winding-by means of contactors 5G and 5-1 for generator GI; and contactors '58 and. 5 9 for generatorGZ, as seen above. For example, taking into consideration generator GI, one sees that contactor 56 is fed through interlocking contact Eldoi contactor 5-1, by a wire 1-5 which can be connected through any one of the arms 8'a, Hia, M'a, l5a of direction selecting switches 8-, I 5', 14, I5" to one of the corresponding studs l'lal, i-la i, il'a3- of the member selecting switch ll, the arm: ll'a of. which is itself connected to terminal L L through the start contact ml and through the stop contact at.

On the same generator GI, contactor 51, which controls the reverse polarity is excited from terminal L4 through the samecontaetsmfand oi,

the interlocking contact 56d of contactors 5t and a wire 71 which can be connected by the same arms of the direction selectors, but in the opposite position of said arms, to the samestuds of member selecting switch l1";

It would be seen that for the other generator G2, the two reversing contactors 58 and. 59' can be energized from the two'wire's it and 19 .1 6- -.spectively..through.the otheriarms 8'11; iib, Msb

the line Ll L2.

and l"b of the direction selecting switches, then through arm l9'aof the other member selecting switch l9 and, lastly, through the start contact m2, the stop contact a2 and the terminal L4.

The operation of the device just described is as follows:

Let us assume that it is desired to move simultaneously the column 4 of the machine (Fig. 1) in the direction of arrow f4, and the headstock 6 on its supporting carriage in the direction of arrow f8. The handle of the member selecting switch I1 is turned towards the direction selecting switch It placed on the pictorial representation of the column; the handle of this direction selector I6 is brought into the position corresponding to arrow f4, then the handle IQ of the other member selecting switch is turned towards the direction selecting switch 14 located on the pictorial representation of the headstock, whereas the handle l4 of the latter switch is brought into the position corresponding to arrow f8.

These selections result in the establishment of a number of circuits which can easily be traced when referring again to Figs. 2, 2a, 2b in which the selecting switches are represented precisely in the positions corresponding to the selections just made. By depressing button ml, contactor 51 of generator GI is energized, through the following circuit: terminal L4, contact al, contact ml, arm lla, stud l'l'ad, arm l6'a, stud lG'ag, wire 11,

stop contact 5601, contactor coil 51 and ter- 59 of generator G2 is energized through the following circuit: terminal L4, contact :12, contact m2, arm l9'a, stud l9'a2, arm l4'b, stud l4bg, wire 18 stop contact 53d, coil of contactor 59 and terminal L3. Contactor 59 is then energized and closes its main contacts 59a, 591), thus energizing the field winding d2 of generator G2 from The holding contact 590 is closed and the coil of contactor 59 continues to be energized through the following circuit: terminal L3, coil of contactor 59, contactor 59c, contact a2 and terminal L4.

Therefore, the generators of the two Leonard groups are ready to deliver power. There remains to be seen to which motors they are connected. It can be ascertained that contactor 13 of motor M4 is energized through the following circuit: terminal L3, coil of contactor l2, interlocking contact 130 of contactor 13, wire Bl, stud l'lb4, arm l'lb and terminal L4.

The main contacts 12a and 12b of contactor '12 are closed and connect the motor armature, to the armature of generator Gl through wires El and 62. The column 4 moves in the direction of arrow f4.

It can also be seen that contactor 69 of motor M2 is excited through the following circuit: terminal L3, coil of contactor 69, interlocking contact 680 of contactor 68, wire 82, stud l9 'b2, arm l9'b and terminal L4. The main contacts 69a and 69b of contactor- 89 are closed and connect the armature of motor M2 to that of generator G2 throughwires'lilland 65. The headstock 5 moves in the direction of arrow f8.

It can be seen that the column 4 and the headstock 8 move simultaneously, each in the selected direction and at a speed which can be adjusted individually by means of excitation rheostats rl, 1-2 of generators GI and G2 respectively.

It is to be noted that the selection could be achieved in the reverse way, that, is to say: the handle of member selector l'l' might be turned towards the pictorial representation of the headstock, and not towards that of the column, whereas the handle of member selector l9 could be turned towards the representation of the column and not towards that of the headstock. The same result, i. e. the simultaneous movement of the column and of the headstock would be obtained with the difference that the generators for both movements would be interchanged and that, therefore, the displacement speed of the column would be adjusted by means of the rheostat of generator G2 whereas that of the headstock would be adjusted by means of the rheostat of generator Gl.

If it were desired to move other machine members, it would be sufficient to turn the handles of the member selecting switches l1 and I9 towards the pictorial representation of the members under consideration and to select the direction of their displacement by means of the direction selecting switches 8, l4, l5, Hi, all said selecting switches being operable independently of one another.

In a like manner, if it were necessary to select, for example, the table 2 and the carriage 5, it would be possible either to select the table by means of switch ll, and the carriage by means of switch l9, or the table by means of switch l9 and the carriage through switch ll, inasmuch as, in the example represented, both switches l1 and I9 can select the table and the carriage.

If it is not desired to have the motors running at difierent speeds, they can be connected to one and the same power supply.

Lastly, it is understood that it is possible to operate only one motor at a time, by depressing only one of the two starting buttons ml or m2.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, we find the representation of a selecting device to select the various movable members of a milling and boring machine, together with a simplified pictorial representation of the said members similar to the pictorial representation placed on the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. This representation will not be described again as it will be suificient to refer to the aforegoing statement regarding Fig. 1. As regards the embodiment represented in Figs. 3 and 4, it should, however, be specified that the machine member-selecting element I1 is used when the machine is operated under automatic control, whereas the machine memberselecting element l9 is used when the machine is operated under manual control.

Two push-buttons 9! and 92 are placed somewhat lower than selector element I7 and substantially on the same vertical line. Push-button 9| is intended to set in motion the member selected by element l1 and said member moves in the direction indicated and selected by the corresponding directicn selecting means, whereby the motion continues until the push-button 92 is depressed, this push-button being provided to stop the movements; this processus is what has been called automatically controlled opera- 9 tion. Besides, in order to carry out automatic cycles, a machine member-couldbe stopped or started by means of any known device, for in stance, a device including dogs or tappets.

A single push-button 93 is placed somewhat lower than selector element I9 and substantially on the same vertical line; this button is to be used for manual control operation. By depressing this button, the member selected by element I9 is shifted in the direction selected and indicated by the corresponding direction-selecting means; the shifting goes on as long as button 93 is being depressed and it stops as soon as this button is released; this is why this condition of operation has been called manual control operation.

Finally, a double-throw switch 94 has been provided by means of which it is possible to condition the device either for automatic or for manual operation, all according to whether its handle is pointing to the left or to the right respectively, in the drawing.

In the aforegoing, it has been purposedly omitted to mention the speed of the selected shiftable machine member. Any known type of speedvarying device can be adopted. By way of example, the speed selector95 is represented in the drawing below the selector element II, by means tion, it is possible to select a given number of speeds, namely: a quick traversing speed (marked R), a working feed (marked T) ,an engagement feed (marked E) and a minimum feed (marked m). It is obvious that selector 95 might also include a fifth position corresponding to quick reverse. The minimum feed, as well as the traversing speed have a fixed value. The engagement feed can be varied by depressing one or the other of push-buttons 96 and. 91, and the working feed is varied by depressing one or the other of buttons 98 and 99. The value of the feed is increased by depressing the buttons marked and it is decreased by depressing buttons marked The feed increase or decrease continues as long as the corresponding button is being depressed. Indicators I02 and I03 permanently show the values of the engagement and working feeds respectively.

A speed selector I94 placed below selector element I9 is also represented, by means of which, in the case of manual control operation, three speeds only can be selected, namely: a minimum feed m, a working feed T and a quick traversing speed R.

Figs. 5, a, 5b and 50 show an example of a simplified wiring diagram for the electrical connections of a selecting device, the main characteristics of which have just been described. In Figs. 5 and 5a of the diagram, the various elements of the selecting deviceare arranged in the same way as in Fig. 1. Figs. 5b and 5c relate to components which are involved in the electric circuits but which are not enclosed in the selecting device proper.

'In this example, it is assumed that the various machine members are driven by means of individual electric D. C. motors MI, M2, M3, M4 energized by 2. Leonard group of which only the generator G is represented. The excitation current, which flows through the field winding .e of the generator G is supplied from a D. C. network which is connected to terminals LI and L2 of the device and which is controlled by two contactors H2 and H3 through which the current is alternately led to the field winding .e in a given direction or in the opposite direction respectively so a -to reverse at will the generator polarity and i cause'the motorsMI to M4 torun the desired direction. These two centactors are also provided with a holding contact H20, 1 I30, with an interlocking contact II2d, H311 and with a con tact II2e, II3e controlling the pilot lamp 3! to which we shall revert later on. The current supply to the coil of said contactors is provided from a network connected to terminals L3, L4 of the device, particularly through the member selecting switches H or I9 and one of the direction selecting switches 8', I4, I5 or is as will be seen further on.

A rheostat r comprises two sliders I3I and I32 which are in engagement, on the one hand, with a resistor r on the other hand, with two conducting rods 533 and I34 respectively. These two sliders allow adjusting the above mentioned engagement and working feeds respectively. They cooperate with the two speed-selecting switches and I03. With a view to simplifying the wiring diagram, no quick return position has been provided in switch 95. It can be seen that the minimum feed studs of the two switches. 95 and I04 are connected to one end of resistor r, the traversing speed studs are connected to the other end of resistor T, the working feed studs to the conducting bar I34 and the engagement feed stud of switch 95 to conducting bar I33. Switch I04 has no engagement feed stud.

The excitation circuit of generator G also comprises a reversing contact 94:; controlled by handle 94 and which allows either the speedselecting switch 95, in the case of automatic control, or the speed-selecting switch I041 for manual control, to be operative,

The device intended to shift the sliders I3I and. I32, in order to adjust the engagement and working feeds, has been, by way of example, diagrammatically represented by two driving screws I35 and I35 respectively, adapted to be rotatably driven by two small series motors I31, I38, each one of which is provided with two f eld windings I4I-I42 for motor I31 and IMP-I44 for motor I38, which can be respectively ene-rgized to rotate the motors in one direction or in the other. These two small motors are energized from a D. C. supply source connected to line LI and L2 of the device through pushbutton switches 98, 99 and 96, .9! respectively. Each of said push-button switches comprise a main closing contact (96a, 91a, 98a, 99a) con nected in series with a back contact (91b, 96b, 99b, 98b) of the adjacent switch in order to form an electrical interlocking intended to prevent the simultaneous energization of the two onposite field windings of a motor,

The armatures of the two motors I31 and I38 are connected respectively to transmitters I59-I69 of a synchronous transmission of any known type, for instance, of the Selsyn type. These transmitters are, in their turn, connected to speed indicators I92 and E33 respectively.

The four motors MI, M2, M3 and M4 are intended to drive the table 2, the headstock .9, the slide 5 and the column 4 respectively. They are all energized in the same way; therefore. it will be sufficient to describe the energizaticn circuit of one of them, for instance, of motor Ml. The field windings 11 are fed from the D. 9. network LIL2. The armature MI is energized from output lines I I4-I I5 of generator G through the medium of contacts H60. and H31) of a contactor IIB.

The other motors M M a d M re identically connected throu h the medi m of con tactors III, II8 119 respectively. The coils of 11 said contactors are fed from a network L3-L4 through part-selecting switches ITI, I9, which will now be described in detail. Switch H is a two-pole switch and is provided with two arms I T'a and. I 'Ib adapted to cooperate with two rows of studs I'I'aII, I'I'a3, I'I'aZ, I'i'ad, I'Iazi and I'I'bO, I'I'b3, IIb2, I'Ib4, I'I'bI respectively. The first stud I'I'aD or I'I'bI] of each row is a dead stud. The other studs of the first row are connected respectively to the arms I5a, Mc, IBa and 8a of the corresponding direction selecting two-pole switches I5, I4, I6, 8. lhe other studs of the second row are connected respectively to the contactors H8, H1, H9, H6 which control the motors M3, M2, M4, M! which drive the corresponding machine members through the contacts I13, I12, I14, III respectively, to which will be reverted later on. The machine member selecting switch I9 is designed in a like manner and its two arms I9a and I9'b u may be connected to the other arms IEib, I I'b, IIib, 8'1) of the direction selecting switches, as well as to the motor-controlling contactors H9, H1, H9, H6.

The holding contacts H and H of contactors H2 and H3 of the generator are fed (from line L I) through the stop contact 92 and the contact 94b of the reversing switch 92. Finally, the starting push-button 9I allows the contactors H2 and H3 of generator G to pull on by connecting their respective supply coils to lines L4 through the medium of contact 94b, reversing switch 94, stop contact 92 and the member and direction-selectors, and this in a manner which will be described further on.

An end of the coil of all motor-controlling contactors H6, H1, H8, H9, as well as of the two generator field energizing contactors H2, I I3 of generator G is connected to the common line L3. Considering again motor Ml, it will be seen that the other end of its controlling contactor H6 is connected to studs WI)! and I9bI o1 member-selecting switches I1 and I9 respectively, that is to say, to the studs which correspond to the position of said switches when their handles are directed towards the directionselecting switch 8' which corresponds to the motion of the machine table driven by motor MI.

It can therefore be seen that both switches I1 and I9 control the connection of the motors to the generator output line I I4-I I5 of generator G.

The control contactors of the other motors M2, M3 and M4 are similarly connected, that is to say, to the correspoding studs of selecting switches I1 and I9 respectively.

We have just seen how the motors are selected and how they are energized from generator G. We shall now see how their rotational direction can be determined by means of direction-selecting switches 9', I4, IE, IS. These are also twopole switches and are identical with one another. Switch I5 for instance, comprises a first arm I5'a adapted to cooperate with one or the other of the two studs I 5'ad or IS'ag, and a second arm I5'b adapted to cooperate with a stud I5bd or a stud I5'bg. The rotational direction of the motors is determined by the polarity of the current that energizes them, which polarity may be reversed by reversing the current in the generator field windings, by means of contactors H2 and H3, as shown above. Thus, it is clear that the contactor H2 can be energized across the interlocking contact H301 of contactor II3 through a line I22 adapted to be connected by means of wires I6 and I9 to line L4 in the following manner: wire I6 may be connected through any one'of the arms B'a, I6'a, I4'a, I5a of direction-selecting switches 9, I3, I4, I5 to one of the corresponding studs I'iaI, I'ia l, Il'aZ, Il'a3 of machine member selecting switch H, the arm I'Ia of which is connected to line L4 through contact 9I intended to start the automatic control operation, through stopping contact 92 and through contact 941) of the reversing switch 94, whereas the wire I9 may be connected, by means of any one of the arms 8b, IG'b, I4b, I5b of direction selectors 8', I6, I4, I5 to one of the corresponding studs I9'al, ISa l, I9a2, I9a3 of the member-selecting switch I9 the arm I9'a of which is itself connected to line L6 through contact a starting the manual control operation, and through contact 941) of the reversing switch 94.

The contactor H3 controlling the reverse polarity of the generator is energized from terminal L I across the same contacts 9I, 92, 94b or 93, 92b through the medium of interlocking contact I I2d of contactor I I2 and of wires I23 and I! or I8 respectively, which can be connected by means of the same direction selector arms when said arms are placed in the opposite direction, to the same studs of part-selecting switch I? and I9.

Fig. 50 gives a theoretical and simplified representation of a device to control the clamping of ie four movable machine members, i. e. the clamping of the table on its supporting bed, of the column on its bed, of the headstock on its slide and, finally, of the headstock-supporting slide on the column. It has been assumed that the clamping of the said machine members was operated by means of any kind of device (not represented) controlled by an individual motor m4, m l, m4, m4 for each member. Therefore. the table, the column, the headstock and the slide are clamped on their support by said motors respectively when the said motors are powered in a given rotational direction, and they are unclamped when the motors are powered in the reverse direction. To simplify matters, it is assumed that these motors are series reversible D. C. motors, the two rotational directions of which are each determined by a separate winding. The connection of all four motors being identical, it will be sufficient to describe, for instance, that of motor ml. The armature of said motor is connected, on the one hand, directly to line L2 and, on the other hand, to line LI through the medium of contactor I5I and of the field winding I9I for the rotational direction causing the unclamping of the table, or through the medium of contactor I52 and of the field winding I92 for the reverse rotational direction which, therefore, causes the clamping of said table. The coils of contactors I5I and I52 have one of their ends connected directly to line L6. The other end of said coils is connected to line L3 through limit switches ISI and I92 respectively and through the movable contact of the double-throw switch 59, according to whether its handle is placed in its lower or in its upper position. The limit switches IBI and I62 are supposedly actuated by nuts IBI and I32 respectively, which are mounted on a screw I75 rotatably connected to the rotor of motor ml, and which are rotatably immobilized by means of rods I69, Ill] respectively and to which a translational motion is imparted, this translational motion being parallel to screw I15 when the latter is rotating. When the table is totally unclamped, the setting of the device is such that the nut I8I reaching specs I 13 the endof its travel, opens the contact iii. "In a reverseway, when the table is completely clamped. thenut 182 nearing the end of its travel, closes the .contact I62.

For the sake of safety, the energizing circuit of the contactors H6, H1, Ha, I It connecting the motors MI, M2, M3, M4 to generator G. is provided with a contact I11, I12, I'l3, I'Mconnected to the unclamping limit switch Hi l, 963, I65, I51, so that, should the operator inactvertently depress the starting push-button of any clamped machine member controlled either automatically (button ill) or manually (button 92), none of the motors controlling the motion of the various machine members can he started without the corresponding memberbe-i-ngnrst-unclamped.

The device just described operates in the following manner:

Let us suppose that it is desired to shift, under automatic control, the column d of the mach ne (Fig. 1) in the direction of arrow 14 and at the required speed. First of all, the reversing switch 94 is placed in the automatic control position, that is to say, it is tilted leftwards in the drawing. The handle of the machine member selecting switch I?! is directed towards the direction-selecting switch It located in the pictorial representation of the column; the handle of this direction-controller it is brought into the position corresponding to arrow #3.

Then, the handle of switch 95 is placed on the speed marked T (working feed). The value shown on indicator I03 is ascertained and, all according "to whether it is lower or higher than the desired value, the button faster 95, or the button slower 99 is depressed and then released when the pointer shows that the desired value is reached. We have seen that buttons 9899 control the energization, as well as the rotational direction of the small electric motor I38 driving the screw I36 which controls the shifting of the feed-adjusting slider I32 on the rheostat 1 of generator G.

The circuits established can easily be traced by referring again to Figs. 5, 5a, 5b, 5c in which the selecting switches have been represented in the position corresponding to the selections just made.

To make sure that the column is not-clamped on its bed, the position of switch- 48 is checked; if its handle is pointing downwards, it means that the column is unclamped and that it may be started; if, on the contrary, the handle 48 is pointing upwards, then the column is clamped on its bed and, in order to unclamp it, the handle of switch 43 must be tilted downwards. The motor m4 controlling the column-clamping device is then set running in the direction corresponding to the unclamping because in this case its controlling 'contactor P51 is energized through the following circuit: line L3, switch #8, closed machine'members, .i. e, the table, 'headstockand 1 slide, are properly clampedon their respective supports. Therefore, the handle or the corresponding switches 49, .41 and will be tilted upwards and thereupon the corresponding clamping motors will beset running in the direction corresponding to the clamping position, until the clamping switches I62, I64 and I 66 open owing to the actionof nuts IP82, 1:84., I86. The wiring diagram shows that in such a case the contacts I52, I54 and I56 would be energized.

1f the button M is now being depressed, the contactor I13 of generator G will be energized by the following circuit: line L4, contact 94b, switch 94, contact 92, contact 9i, arm Ila, stud 'Il'all, arm ld'a, stud ltag, lines TI and I23, closed contact 112d, contactor coil H3, line L3. The contactor "H3 picks up and closes its main contacts to, 3b thus energizing the ,field windings e of generator G from line LI--L2 through rheostat r,- slider I32, rod I34, switch and contact 9441. of switch 94. At this stage, the pilot lamp 3! lights up since it is connected, on the one hand, to line L3 through the closed contact II3c of contactor H3 and, on the other hand, to line L! through contact 94b of reversm switch 94. The holding contact I I30 of contactor H3 closes and the contactor coil continues to be energized, even after button BI has been released, through the following circuit: line L3, coil of contac'tor I13, contact I I30, lam-p 31, contact 92, contact 941) of switch 94 and line L4.

The generator of the Leonard group is therefore ready to deliver power. Now, we shall see to which motorits armature is connected. It will be seen that the contactor '9 of motor M4 is energized through the following circuit: line L3, coil of contactor II9, closed contact I14, line 8I, stud I'I'b4, arm .I'I'b, contact 9% of reversing switch 94 and line L4. Contacts II'Qa, I191) of contactor I I9 close and connect the armature of motor M4 to the armature of generator G through wires H4 and H5. The machine column 4 moves in the direction of arrow f4 at the speed which has been adjusted at the required value. It will be seen that slider I32 is actually connected in series in the excitation circuit of generator G.

If it is now desired to move under manual control a machine member such as the headstock 6 on its slide in the direction of arrow it, this will be achieved in the following manner: First the reversing switch 94 is brought into the position manual control operation," that is to say, it is inclined to the right hand side in the drawing, then the handle of the other member selecting switch I9 is inclined towards the direction-selecting switch I4 placed on the pictorial repre sentation of the headstock, whereas the handle of the said direction-selecting switch is set in the position corresponding to arrow ft. The handle of switch IMis brought into the position which corresponds to the required speed range (minimum feed, working feed, quick traverse). In the case of the working feed, the adjustment is made in the manner described for switch 95. Then, the headstock, which was clamped when the column was being shifted, must now be unclamped. To achievethis end, the handle of switch 41 is inclined downwards, thus energizing the contactor II3 which connects the motor m2 to the supply through the field winding I93 corresponding to the rotational direction of the motor which ensures'the unclamp-ing. The headstock is unclamped when the nut 1&3 reaches the end of its travel-anduopenscontact I63 -which cuts-off the supply'tothcemotormll. Atthe same time, contact 412 closes and allowsithe motor '15 which controls the movement of the headstock on its slide, to be connected to the supply. The column is then clamped by bringing the handle of reversing switch 48 into-its upward position so as to set the motor m4 running in the clamp ing direction. a

By depressing the button 93 for manual control operation, the generator contactor H3 is energized through the following circuit: line L4, contact 94b of switch 94, contact 930., arm jl9'a, stud I9'a2, arm l4'b, stud l4bg, lines 18 and I23, closed contact ll2d, coil of contactor H3 and line L3. The contactor H3 picks up and closes, amongst others, its main ll3a, 3b, thus energizing the field windings e of generator G from line Ll-LZ through rheostat 1', switch Hi4 and contact 94a. of switch 94. Furthermore, the pilot lamp 38 lights up because it is connected, on the one hand, directly to line L3 and, on the other hand, to line L4 through contacts 931) and 93a of push-button 93 and through contact 94b of switch 84. The holding contact H30 of contactor H3 also closes, but it is isolated from line L4 due to the switch 94 being tilted to the right; therefore, the coil of the said contactor is energized only as long as button 93 is being depressed. In other words, the generator is energized only as long as button 95 is being kept depressed.

It will now be explained how the headstockdriving motor M2 is energized. We see that the contactor ll! of motor M2 is energized through the following circuit: line L3, coil of contactor '5, closed contact H2, line 82, stud 19'132, arm I9'b, contact 94b of switch 94 and line L4. Contacts Illa, lb of contactor HT close and coin nect the armature of motor M2 to the armature of generator G through wires H4 and H5. The headstock moves at the required speed in the direction of arrow f8 as long as the starting button is being kept depressed, the generator being capable of supplying power, as explained above.

As regards the speed range selection, it will be noticed that, in the example represented, the

minimum speed is obtained by inserting the whole resistance 1' of the rheostat in the excitation circuit of the generator, whereas for the maximum speed, this resistance is out of the circuit.

If it were desired to feed other machine members, it would be sufficient to tilt the handles of member-selecting switches ll and E9 towards the pictorial representation of the members involved and to select the direction in which they are to be shifted by means of the directionselecting switches 8, l4, l5, [6; all these switches can be operated'independently of one another.

It is obvious that the invention is not restricted to the embodiments described and represented, which have been quoted by way of examples only. Thus, in the wiring diagram of Figs. 2 to 2b and 5 to 50, the member-selecting switch ll has been represented in such a way as to be possibly connected alternately to each one of the direction-selecting switches 8, i i, l5, [6. The same applies to the memberselecting switch I9.

Without departing from the scope of the present invention, studs l'la2 of switch l1, and stud l9a4 of switch [9 could, by way of simplification, be omitted. In this case, the arm l4a and studs l4'ad and I4ag of switch l4, as well as the arm l6'b and studs lfi'bd and lfifbg of switch It would become useless.- With such anarrangement, the dotted line connecting, on Fig.

1, switches'l'l'and l4, as wellas, the lines connecting switches i1 and M would not exist, and it would not be possible to select the headstock with switch ll" and the column by means of switch l9.

In fact, in order to achieve all the possible combinations of simultaneous displacements, it is not necessary that both member selectors should be adapted to be connected to every member to be controlled. It would evidently be possible to eliminate other connections than the two taken as examples.

It is obvious that the various movements in volved in the embodiments decribed have been quoted by way of examples only and that they could be different in number; also, one or several of them might relate to other parts than those which are quoted. Thus, the table 2, for instance, could be replaced by an indexingrotary or circular milling table.

Furthermore, it is obvious that the whole selecting device might be designed for controlling and selecting other movements than feed movements, for instance, the rotational motion of a vertical-turning table driven at the cutting speed, the rotational motion of a tool-carrying spindle, etc.

It is apparent that the above mentioned arrangement applied to a control pendant box allows controlling the movements of all the machine members, including those on which indexing, circular milling and vertical-turning operations can be performed.

It is also obvious that, without departing from the scope of the present invention, other types of motor, for instance A. C. motors, could be used in the place of the D. C. motors energized by means of a Leonard group generator mentioned in the description of the embodiment chosen as an example.

What I claim is:

1. A control box for controlling the movement of the movable members of a machine-tool or the like, comprising a panel, two member-selecting elements supported adjacent the exterior face of said panel in locations at either side of and symmetrical with respect to a substantially straight line on said panel for movement of said elements over said face to different predetermined selecting positions thereon corresponding respectively to said movable members of said machine, the number of said different selecting positions being at most equal to the number of said movable members, direction selecting means carried by said panel in locations respectively identified with the several movable members of the machine and in spaced relation to each other on said straight line, said locations of said direction selecting means corresponding also to said difierent predetermined positions on said panel to which said member-selecting elements are respectively movable, said direction selecting means being operable to opposed positions corresponding to the directions of movement of the respective movable members selected by movement of said member-selecting elements, all said member-selecting elements and said direction selecting means being independently operable one with respect to the others, and direction indicators associated with said direction selecting means for indicating said opposed position and the direction of movement of the respective movable members.

v 2. .A control box for controlling the movement of the movable members of a machine-tool or the like comprising a panel carrying on the exterior {face thereof a pictorial representation of said machine-tool and'of the movable members thereof, two member-selecting elements supported adjacent the exterior face of the panel in locations at either side of and substantially symmetrical with respect to a middle line of said pictorial representation for movement of said elements over said face to different predetermined selecting positions thereon corresponding respectively to the depictions on said panel of said movable members of said machine, the number of said different positions being at most equal to the number of said movable members, direction-selecting means carried by said panel in locations respectively associated with the depicted movable members and in spaced relation to each other on said middle line of said pictorial representation, said locations of said direction selecting means corresponding to said difierent predetermined selecting positions on said panel to which said member-selecting elements are respectively movable, said direction selecting means being operable to opposed positions corresponding to the directions of movement of the respective movable members selected by movement of said member-selecting elements corresponding to the depicted selected movable members, all said member-selecting elements and said direction-selecting means being independently operable one with respect to the others, and direction indicators provided on said panel in said opposed positions of said direction-selecting means for indicating the direction of movement of the respective movable members.

3. A control box as defined in claim 2 wherein at least one of said member-selecting elements is provided with a neutral position.

4. A control box as defined in claim 2 which comprises a selector part connectible with control means for automatic control operation and arranged on one side of said middle line and associated with the member-selecting element which is located on the same side thereof.

5. A control box as defined in claim 2 which comprises a selector part connectible with control means for automatic control operation and arranged on one side of said middle line and associated with the member-selecting element which is located on the same side thereof, and a second selector part connectible with a control means for manual control operation arranged on the other side of said middle line and associated with the other member-selecting element.

6. A control box as defined in claim 5 which comprises a change over selector operable to two positions and connectible with a change-over switch for making operative either said memberselecting element which is associated with said selector part for automatic-control operation or said member-selecting element which is associated with said selector part for manual control operation, said change over selector being supported on said panel adjacent said selector parts for operation of said change over selector respectively in directions toward said selector parts.

7. A control boX as defined in claim 5 which comprises a start element and a stop element carried upon said panel adjacent said automatic control selector part, and a "jog element for manual-control operation carried on said panel adjacent said second selector part consists of a jog switch.

8. A control box as defined in claim 2 which comprises a speed selector connectible with control means for automatic-control operation and 18 located on the same side with respect to'said middle line as a member-selecting element which is associated with said control means for automatic-control operation.

9. A control box as defined in claim 2, which comprises a speed selector connectible with control means for manual control and located on the same side with respect to said middle line as a member-selecting element which is associated with said control means for manual-control operation. I

10. A control box as defined in claim 2 which comprises a speed selector connectible with control means for automatic-control operation and located on the same side with respect to said middle line as a member-selecting element which is associated with said control means for automatic-control operation, said speed selector having at least one position corresponding to an adjustable speed.

11. A control box as defined in claim 2 which comprises a speed selector connectible with control means for automatic-control operation and located on the same side with respect to said middle line as a member-selecting element which is associated with said control means for automatic-control operation, and a second speed selector connectible with control means for manual control operation and located on the same side with respect to said middle line as a memberselecting element which is associated with said control means for manual-control operation, at least one of said speed selectors having at least one position corresponding to an adjustable speed.

12. A control box as defined in claim 2 which comprises a speed selector connectible with control means for automatic control operation and located on the same side with respect to said middle line as a member-selecting element which is associated with said control means for automatic-control operation, said speed selector having at least one position corresponding to an unvariable speed.

13. A control box as defined in claim 2 which comprises a speed selector connectible with control means for automatic control operation and located on the same side with respect to said middle line as a member-selecting element which is associated with said control means for automatic-control operation, and a second speed selector connectible with control means for manual control operation and located on the same side with respect to said middle line as memberselecting element which is associated with said control means for manual-control operation, at least one of said speed selectors having at least one position corresponding to an unvariable speed.

14. A control box as defined in claim 2 which comprises a speed selector connectible with control means for automatic control operation and located on the same side with respect to said middle line as a member-selecting element which is associated with said control means for automatic-control operation, said speed selector having at least one position corresponding to an adjustable speed and a set of two switches for each adjustable speed, one of said switches being adapted for increasing the speed of the selected member and the other for decreasing the speed thereof.

15. A control box as defined in claim 2 which comprises a speed selector connectible with,control means for automatic control operation and 1 9 located on the same side with respect to said middle line as a member-seiecting element which is associated with said control means for automatic-control operation, and a second speed selector connectible with control means "for manual-control operation located on the same side with respect to said middle line as a memberselecting element which is associated with said control means for manual-control operation, at least one of said speed selectors having at lea-st one position corresponding to an adjustable speed, and a set of two switches for each adjustable speed, one of said switches being adapted for increasing the speed of the selected member and the other for decreasing the speed thereof,

CHARLES WILLIAM BERTHIEZ.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS m Number Name Date 2,350,174 Lucus et al May 30, 1944 2,488,324 Pegard Nov. 15, 1949 

